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JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2003
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WAS JESUS A YOGI?
here is a keen interest of tension, others see it as a form of exercise promoting fitness, and some have claimed cures from in yoga the world over, even among Christians. To some, it is a means of relaxation and easing serious medical conditions. But yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline, and there are Christians who promote yoga as a help to meditation and prayer. There is much confusion in the mind of the average Catholic – lay and cleric – because yoga as promoted among Catholics is neither entirely a health discipline nor entirely a spir- itual discipline, but sometimes one, sometimes the other, and often a mixture of both. One well-known proponent of yoga has been quoted as saying that Jesus was a yogi. And presentations of Jesus in yogic postures of meditation are becoming more common, even in the rooms of some priests. It is in this regard, particularly, that the sincere Chris- tian should enquire into yoga’s compatibility with Christian spirituality, and the wisdom of incorporating its techniques into Christian prayer and meditation. What is yoga? Derived from a word meaning to yoke or unite, it is a spiritual discipline aimed at enabling the practitioner to attain liberation from the human condition and realise his/her own divinity (see box on page 2). As we look into the meaning and significance of the discipline of yoga as presented by persons whose own background and spirituality is Hindu, we encounter a reality disturbingly different from the innocuous “re-
laxing and breathing exercises” presented to us by Catholic promoters of yoga – some of whom, unfortu- nately, are priests. Examples of these follow: ‘The absolute is within oneself,’ declares the Chandogya Upanishad, ‘Tat tvam asi’ or ‘Thou art That’. The Divine dwells within each one of us through his microcosmic representative, the individual self or jiva. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna describes the jiva as ‘My own eternal portion.’” (“Gain the Self, Lose the I” The Speaking Tree, 18-08-2002).
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“The manifestation of inherent divinity is in reality the revelation of the divine self of man. This is not different from the Supreme Self that permeates even the tiniest particle in the universe. It is accessible to all human beings.” (“Cosmic Vision Alone Reveals the Truth” –Ashutoshji Maharaj, The Speaking Tree). Plainly stated, the objective of yoga is the deification of man. Such a view is radically different from Christianity, which clearly distinguishes between Creator and creature, God and man. In Christianity God is the “other”, and never the “Self”. As the “Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation” states it, “Christian prayer is always determined by the structure of the Christian faith, in which the very truth of God and creature shines forth.” While everyone has the freedom to believe as one personally chooses, the Christian cannot be oblivious to the striking parallel between this view and the serpent’s promise to Eve: “But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God . . .’” (Genesis 3:4-5) There are two questions we need to ask: 1. Was Jesus a yogi? And 2. Is yoga compatible with the practice of the Christian faith and Christian spirituality? 1. To answer the first, “Was Jesus a yogi?” A yogi is one who practises yoga with a view to achieving its stated objective. The objective of yoga is the realisa- tion, the awareness, that one is divine, sharing identity with the ultimate reality, the impersonal Absolute. The Jesus of orthodox Christianity, revealed in the Bible and the consistent faith of the Church, is the eternal divine Word, the Son of God, who became a man in order to identify with sinful man and atone for the sins humanity. Jesus did not “attain” or “regain” divinity through meditation and yoga. Nor is Jesus a “guru” – a guru is one who, having meditated and practised yogic disciplines, has achieved enlighten- ment and divinity, and now shows his disciples how to likewise become enlightened and divine. The guru’s traditional pose, right hand held up in the upadesa mudra (thumb and index finger forming a circle, the other three fingers upright) has two important mean-
The Vedas describe an ultimate reality, which they call Brahman. The awareness of this ‘reality’ is attained through the practice of yoga and meditation. “Aham Brahmasmi” (“I am Brahman”) — is the statement of this realisation and identification which is synonymous with the concept of nirvana. Conceptions of Brahman and nirvana are integral to the different schools of Indian and Buddhist philosophy. “Physics of Nirvana: Link Two Realities” By Mani Bhaumik, THE SPEAKING TREE, 11.07.2002 ings: one, the guru communicates what he has himself attained; and two, his communication is not by spoken words or logic or reason or coherent ideas. To call Jesus a yogi is to deny His intrinsic divinity, holiness and perfection, and suggest that He had a fallen nature subject to ignorance and maya, that He needed to be liberated from the human condition through the exercise and discipline of yoga.
Raising Kundalini With Sahaj Yog The word ‘Yog’ is derived from the verb yuj which means to yoke, to join, to connect. The end of life is to yoke oneself to the holy spirit i.e., the Paramchaitanya. Hindu scriptures enlighten us on the various ways or margas of doing so. The union with the holy spirit is possible through Gyan Yog, Karma Yog, Bhakti Marg, Mantra Yog, Raj Yog, Sanyas Marg or Hath Yog . . . Hath Yogis have evolved various Aasanas, postures and occult practices for awakening the Kundalini. . N B Salunke THE SPEAKING TREE - 1.04.2002
Moreover, Jesus instructs His disciple by His word: “Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32) This “knowing the truth that makes one free” comes from hearing, obeying and abiding in Jesus’ word – for He Himself is the eternal Word.And His word transforms and renews the disciple’s mind with a knowledge of what is good, true, holy and according to the will of God: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2). In contrast, the yogi is to suspend the will, still the mental faculties, and make no choices (Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, I.1-3). 2. The second question is whether yoga is at all compatible with Christian spirituality. Precisely because it is pantheistic (God is in everything and every- thing is God) and holds that there is only one Reality and all else is maya or illusion, the philosophy behind yoga presents serious problems for the Christian. Flowing from the elimination of any distinction be- tween Creator and creation, we encounter other basic beliefs that are incompatible with Christianity. If there is only one Absolute Reality, and all else is illusory, there can be no relationships, and no love. Intrinsic to the Christian faith is the Trinity, the perfect model of living in relationship. Christianity is all about relationships, with God and among men: “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:3739) Moreover, good and evil, like pain and pleasure, are regarded as maya or illusion, and therefore unreal. For example, Swami Vivekananda, one of the most re- spected icons of modern Hinduism, has said, “Good and evil are one and the same” and “The Murderer, too, is God.” (Vivekananda: the Yogas and Other Works, pub. Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Centre, NY, 1953). The same idea was expressed by “Bhagwan”
The Swami [Vivekananda] presents the spirituality of Jesus as Advaitic, as the realization of his identity with the Brahman, and explains away the dualism in his teachings about a Personal God as a concession to the necessity of dealing with the uneducated masses and his disciples at their level thus proving the Swami’s three stages of growth in spirituality... Thus through Dvaita and Visistadvaita Jesus leads men to his own realization of Advaita (cf. M.M. THOMAS, “The Acknowledged Christ of the Indian Renaissance” pp. 129-130). [According to Vivekananda] Jesus had our nature; he became the Christ; so can we, and so must we. Christ and Buddha were the names of a state to be attained. Jesus and Gautama were the persons to manifest it. (Bishop Thomas Dabre, “CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE ON INDIAN SOCIETY”, Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, January 2003.) Rajneesh a.k.a. Osho, “My ashram makes no difference between the demonic and the divine” (The Sound of Running Water, Pub. Poona Rajneesh Foundation, 1980). In Christianity, the vexing problem of sin as an offence
The Guru Geeta contains a beautiful shloka describing qualities of a guru (one who leads and shows the light): “I bow to my teacher who is the supreme spirit, who is eternal and benign: who is beyond sound, line and art. Salutations to thee!” Geeta Chandran, FAITH LINE, 29.07.02
against the holiness of God is inseparable from our faith, because sin is the reason why we need a Saviour. The Incarnation, the baptism and ministry, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus was “for us men and for our salvation” (Nicene Creed). Some attempt to dismiss these very fundamental differences as irrelevant to the absorption of yoga and other eastern meditation techniques into Christian spirituality. Their argument is that throughout her 2,000-year history, the Church has borrowed and “Christianised” elements of the local culture and religion. That argument is valid when applied to external rituals and celebration of festivals. The difference with yoga is its intrinsic incompatibility with Christianity, arising from its very objective of selfdeification. If this spiritual discipline, almost as old as the Church, has for 2,000 years been shaped, developed and employed for the specific purpose of achieving divinity – regard- less of whether it ever succeeded! – how can it, or the techniques it employs, now be used to achieve the very opposite – the Christian’s total surrender to God? Again, the concepts in Hindu philosophy have no accurate parallels in Christian theology, because they are rooted in a totally different set of ideas. The differences go beyond just language and culture, and cannot be bridged by mere translation. For example, the term moksha is often translated as “salvation” but its meaning is very different from the Christian concept of salvation. Moksha is a kind of liberation from the tyranny of the human condition, and a flight into nothingness. Christian salvation, on the other hand, is the destruction of sin, reconciliation with God and the resurrection of the body. This is just one of very many examples, but glib translations have obscured the difference to the average Catholic. It has been argued – and even stated in one foreword to a book promoting yoga as a way of spiritual growth – that “The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men.” (Vat II, NA2). As has now
become customary, the foreword omitted the very next sentence, without which the two sentences quoted mean quite the opposite of what they were meant to communicate: “Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Him- self.”
If this spiritual discipline, almost as old as the Church, has for 2,000 years been shaped, developed and employed for the specific purpose of achieving divinity - regardless of whether it ever succeeded! - how can it, or the techniques it employs, now be used to achieve the very opposite - the Christian’s total surrender to God? The foreword referred to also implies that a spiritual discipline conceived, developed and employed for the deification of man is necessarily “true and holy”, and necessarily “reflects a ray of that Truth which enlight- ens all men.” A desire to become God is the first sin (chronologically) recorded in the Bible: “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the Pit.” (Isaiah 14:13-15)
Editor
THE STEADY MARCH OF SYNCRETISM
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yncretism can be defined as the incorporation of various elements, often mismatched and sometimes contradictory, in order to arrive at a whole that satisfies the largest number. Syncretism in contemporary Catholicism is usually the result of an uncritical acceptance of elements from other religions, and can be motivated by a variety of concerns – insecurity, the need for acceptance, a fear of being perceived as different, or sometimes a desire to present oneself as progressive or even revolutionary. The Church in India has see n more than its share of syncretism. In the name of “inculturation” and “dialogue”, several pastoral and liturgical abuses have taken place. The result is a shaking of the very foundations of the faith of sincere and alltoo-often simple Catholics. Another result is a presentation of Christianity – and even Christ Himself – in a manner that is far from true. One recent example is the celebration of the Jubilee Year 2000, which in India was called “Yesu Krist Jayanti.” An “Indian” logo design was prepared, which featured a nailpierced right hand in the “upadesa mudra.” A mudra is a hand-gesture that denotes a Hindu philosophical or religious concept, and is found in virtually all Indian temple carving and iconography. A Hindu deity depicted in any art form usually has one hand expressing something through a mudra. The nail-mark in the palm of the hand identifies the hand as that of Jesus. The problem is the use of
the upadesa mudra. While it is the common pose of a guru or a teacher in Hindu art, there is an important difference. Jesus Christ is the eternal word of God, and God has always taught and directed His people by His word. The clear distinction between Creator and creature means that divine truth cannot be reached by human effort, but requires revelation. But in most eastern religions, truth is arrived at through a form of instruction that comes in meditation, by intuition and not through words, thought process, reasoning. An Encyclopaedia of Hindu Art published by the reputed Marg Publications, describes the meaning of the upadesa mudra as “instruction through meditation and contemplation.” The upadesa mudra equally denotes the yogi receiving enlightenment as it does the yogi imparting it. In both case s , it is no t don e through word. (This is presented in greater detail on pages 2 and 3). The widespread use of the “Yesu Krist Jayanti” logo with the hand of Jesus in an upadesa mudra actually misrepresented Jesus, equating the divine Wisdom of God with one who meditates in the hope of attaining divinity. This misrepresentation was further compounded by the printing and release of a special postage stamp featuring the same logo, by the Indian government on 25 th December 1999 (reported on the PIB website). What is even more worrisome than the trend towards syncretism is the manner in which it is accepted, and sometimes even welcomed. Even when seriously wrong, it is hardly ever corrected. Some examples:
1. In the Christmas 1995 issue of The Examiner, the publication of the Archdiocese of Bombay, an article by a priest endorsed the pantheistic idea of worshipping “God the prostitute, God the sinner”, asking rhetorically, “isn’t that what the Incarnation, the Word becoming flesh, is all about?” 2. In an article in the same publication, a nun who has opted to live in an ashram wrote that we “can be transformed into the Holy Spirit – God. . . we are ourselves meant to become the ever-lasting, un- changeable, eternal Spirit . . . Yes! We are called to become nothing less than God.” 3. At a prayer service in a Catholic home, in honour of Our Lady of Fatima (see box below), images
of Hindu and Jain deities were placed alongside the Fatima image. This was reported with pride by the couple in whose home it took place, and held up as an example for other parishes to follow. 4. In the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Bandra, during a Novena Mass in preparation for the parish feast in 2001, a collage of the Cross and symbols of other religions was displayed on the lectern (which is reserved for the proclamation of the Word of God – see CCC 1154, 1184 ). Readings from other religious scriptures were included in the Liturgy of the Word immediately after the Gospel, and these non-Christian scriptures were described by the celebrant in his homily (which is still the
Continued on page 8
Our Lady of Fatima
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ir, You know of the practice since several years for some parishes of the “Church” to get the “faithful” to participate in a home-to-home community function once a year. The statue representing the Apparitions of ‘Our Lady of Fatima’ at Fatima, Portugal to the 3 children in 1917, was rotated amongst the homes of identified parishioners in GOOD SHEPHERD Versova parish for a day.
Community prayers as decided by each participant, in keeping with the Revelations of the apparition were offered. This year for the first time we were chosen as one such home. We took the cue from various texts and readings relating to the apparitions of ‘Our Lady of Fatima’, to offer the event, for Communal Harmony in India considering the sinister, protracted and willful efforts by the Govt and it’s tentacles the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS to foster and promote Communal Discord which will lead to the disintegration of our country. Our event coincided happily with The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Mahavir Jayanti, Parsi New Year, and Mount Mary’s feast Bandra. To symbolise and highlight the Communal Harmony theme we had with us friends, Nisha, Muslim; Jijoo Billimoria, Parsi; and Pooja Sinha, Hindu. We also had a Choir with a guitar singing Hymns in Marathi, Hindi, Konkani and English. Our Hall had the statue of Our Lady of Fatima along with Lord Ganesh, Lord Mahavir and other deities. We are pleased at the success of the event and hope that others will follow suit in orienting religious functions to foster better inter religious understanding and respect for each other’s beliefs, and thwart the evil intentions of some of our politicians who seem to be succeeding in destroying whatever good feelings exist between persons of different religions, faiths and beliefs in India. (Names withheld by EMMANUEL) Letter to the Editor, The Examiner, November 9, 2002
VATICAN OFFICIAL CRITICIZES THEOLOGIANS ON INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
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atican City (CNS) – A top Vatican official said “ruinous positions” on interreligious dialogue by some Catholic theologians have weakened the Church’s educational efforts among the faithful.
through his life and language all that God meant to reveal and all that could be expressed to humans, he said. What the Church needs to underline in its teaching is the “completeness, centrality and saving universality of Christian revelation,” Cardinal Castrillon said.
Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos told a Vatican conference October 9 that these theologians, in their efforts to promote interreligious dialogue, were continuing to misIn 2001, Fr Dupuis signed a statement of doctrinal printakenly present non-Christian religions as “equally valid” ciples after the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation criticized to Christianity. In particular. Cardinal Castrillon critiambiguities in his book on religious pluralism. At that cized Belgian Jesuit Fr Jacques time, the Vatican backed away from Dupuis, whose book, “Toward a its earlier finding of “serious doctriChristian Theology of Religious Plu“...these theologians, in nal error” in the book. Cardinal ralism,” was critically studied by the Castrillon, who heads the Vatican’s their efforts to promote Congregation for the Doctrine of the Congregation for Clergy, also took Faith in 2001. interreligious dialogue, aim at Indian Fr Felix Wilfred, considered a leading Catholic expert in were continuing to The cardinal cited Fr Dupuis’ stateIndia on dialogue with other relimistakenly present ment that God’s self-revelation gions. through Jesus was “limited, incomnon-Christian religions plete and imperfect” in part because He criticized Fr Wilfred for saying as ‘equally valid’ to of the limitations of Christ’s own that other religious traditions contain human consciousness. On the conChristianity.” divine revelation. He also criticized trary. Cardinal Castrillon said, the the theologian’s idea that Christian divine mystery is fully revealed in Christ. Christ revelation represents only one part of divine revelation. expressed
Cardinal Ratzinger on Dialogue As regards the dialogue with other religions, Cardinal Ratzinger, a theologian who won international renown during Vatican Council II, specified that the idea that all religions in the world are complementary to Christian revelation “is erroneous.” However, everything that is good and true in religions must not be lost, what is more, it must be recognized and appreciated. Wherever good and truth are found, these come from the Father and are the work of the Spirit; the seeds of the Logos are spread everywhere. But we cannot close our eyes in face of errors and deceptions, which are also present in religions.”
SYNCRETISM (Cont’d from page 6)
liturgy of the Word) as “the Good News.” Moreover, the celebrant insisted that all scriptures, and not only the Bible, are “divinely inspired”.
Those responsible for this outrage were severely reprimanded, but privately. There was no correction made for the sake of the congregation, although this is a prime duty: “The Church’s main job is the care of the faith of the simple. . . The care of the faith of the ‘little ones’ must always be more important than the fear of some conflict with the powerful.” (Cardinal Ratzinger, at St. Michael’s College, Toronto, April 14, 1986.)
Errol C Fernandes
We welcome you to attend the Emmanuel Prayer Group meetings every 1st, 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at St. Joseph's Convent, MMT Hall, Bandra.
Printed matter
This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: “Sacrilege consists in profaning or treating unworthily the sacraments and other liturgical actions, as well as persons, things or places consecrated to God.” (CCC 2120)
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The cost of printing EMMANUEL is met by the freewill love offerings of the members and well-wishers of the Emmanuel Prayer Group Published by the Emmanuel Prayer Group of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Editor: Errol C. Fernandes. For Private Circulation Only.
ERROL FERNANDES and I started corresponding with each other only in 2003, a few months before I went online with a personal computer and an email address. We jointly gave a seminar on the New Age in Bandra, Bombay in
February 2004. The Lord called him on June 25, 2004. This
ministry carries on Errol’s crusade against New Age error in the Catholic Church in India- Michael Prabhu michaelprabhu@vsnl.net www.ephesians-511.net
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